The Hawke Eyed Detective
by shadowsilv3r
Summary: Modern AU. Garrett Hawke is a renowned Private Investigator in the city of Kirkwall. When a domestic disturbance leads to something far more sinister; Hawke and his trusty partner Varric Tethras will have to deal with kidnappers, serial killers, and drug lords to unravel a mystery that will reveal the true extent of Kirkwall's corruption. Rated M violence, drug use.
1. Pilot

**Let me start by saying that Crime/Mystery novels aren't something I read regularly, nor have I ever written one before, but that is the point of this story. I will also mention that relationships, family trees, and even character personality have been altered in varying degrees to suit this somewhat modern AU. No pairings planned at the moment; that does not mean start suggesting pairings for me as I won't listen. So other than that, any and all feedback is very much welcome.**

**P.S. Yes, I have taken some inspiration from Telltale's 'The Wolf Among Us' for this pilot episode, but trust me when I say that it will deviate greatly from that game come the next chapter.**

**NOTICE: I do not own the Dragon Age franchise or The Wolf Among Us franchise nor do I profit from them, those belong to Bioware and Telltale respectively.**

**Pilot**

_21__st__ street  
Lowtown District  
12:18 AM._

Garrett Hawke exited the taxi into the fog covered street; he calmly paid the taxi driver before pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. He exhaled a plume of smoke that quickly dissipated into the air as the Private Investigator walked down the street looking for the right address. He soon found it, a rundown three story apartment complex at the end of the street. He found the front door open ajar and calmly walked in.

He immediately found the person he was looking for at the bottom of the stairs leering up it. Garrett heard what sounded like an argument coming from the floor atop them. He also noticed a lot of water on the ground coming down the stairs.

"Mr. Amell?" Garrett Hawke questioned the old man at the stairs; who quickly turned around to face the Private Investigator. Gamlen Amell was a balding man with an eternal scowl on his withered face with grey eyes. He was currently dressed in nothing but a bath robe, and what remained of his hair was wet, suggesting that he had been in the shower when the disturbance happened.

"Oh, thank The Maker you're here Hawke; that bloody Knife-ear has been causing a ruckus for hours!" Gamlen scolded as he motioned towards the stairs.

"Explain to me what's going on here Amell," Garrett said with mild disinterest, as he began smoking on his cigarette again.

"That filthy elf, Fenris Leto I think his name was, has been having another hissy fit again and is tearing up the place; he's disturbing all my other tenant's sleep who has been complaining to me about!"

"You are the landlord," Garrett pointed out.

"Yes, but that doesn't make me everyone's nanny!" Gamlen exclaimed, "the only reason I'm taking any kind of action now is because he broke a water main while I was taking a shower!" the old landlord then gestured to his attire.

Garrett took his cigarette out of his mouth and pinched the bridge with his free hand before saying, "Mr. Amell, you know I don't handle domestic disturbances, I'm a Private Investigator, wouldn't this be a more appropriate job for the City Guard,"

Gamlen glared daggers at the investigator as he muttered, "I would were I not indebted to half the force,"

A large boom resounded from above that shook the dust off of the ceiling, followed closely by a shattering of glass. Garrett and Gamlen glanced to the front door to see a TV fall to the street and break into pieces on impact.

"You got to get him out of here," Gamlen said in a tone that suggested he didn't want to discuss this further. Garrett flicked his cigarette butt to the ground, which extinguished the moment it touched the water.

"Wait here, I'll go see what I can do," Hawke then started his way up the stairs with trepidation to avoid slipping in the cascading water.

"Right and I'll go call the pumping company or something," Gamlen scolded as he made his way back to his own room.

V

Once Garrett Hawke made his way to the second floor of the building he simply followed the muffled shouting and running water to Room 209. He tried the doorknob only to find it was locked. The investigator then placed his head against the doorframe to try and listen in on the argument.

"_You better tell me where she is whore, or you're going to regret it!"_ a male voice yelled accompanied with a hard smack of palm to cheek, if Hawke judged it right, a terrified female voice soon followed.

"_I don't know who you're talking about! Now please let me go!"_

"_Oh no, I've been looking for her for far too long! I know she's hiding with one of you whores and I'm going to find out!"_ another smack, this one companied by a splashing sound and a woman gasping. Garrett decided he'd had enough of this and kicked the door down. What he saw was a flooded, rundown apartment room with a broken window, thrown furniture, and two people in the middle of it; one an elf with white hair standing up, and a scantily dressed attractive woman with tanned skin and long, messy black hair laying in the water nursing a cut lip in her hand.

The woman noticed Garrett by the open door, and bolted up and ran passed the investigator and out of the apartment; by the time Garrett had turned around he caught a glimpse of the woman turning the corner and running down the stairs.

"Look at what you're done!" Fenris Leto shouted at Garrett, "Now I'll never find her!"

"From the looks of things, I think you should be grateful I got here before the City Guard would have to add a murder charge atop your domestic disturbance charge!" Garrett pointed out, this caused the elf to charge him and tackle him to the floor before he started pummeling him. Hawke immediately shoved him off and righted himself. But Leto wasn't done yet as he threw a punch at Hawke's head, but Garrett quickly grabbed the punch in his hand and twisted the arm so Fenris was pinned form behind. Garrett shoved the elf against the wall and got out some cuffs and got them onto the Leto's wrists.

Shoving the elf to the wet floor, Garrett walked to the payphone on the hallway wall and dialed the City Guard to tell them of what was going on here.

**Author's Note:**

**Since this is a pilot, I intend to have this shorter than the rest of the chapters or 'episodes' as I call them, yes I know on TV pilot episodes tend to be longer then the regular owns but whatever. I just wanted to get this out in the open. Expect the next episode to be much longer.**


	2. Episode 1: Money, Rats, and Lyrium

**Just and FYI, some character ages have been altered as well, and example being Fenris, who is in his fifties (To account for his white hair when he has no Lyrium markings in this story).**

**NOTICE: I do not own the Dragon Age franchise nor do I profit from it, the franchise belongs to Bioware.**

**Episode I:**

Money, Rats, and Lyrium

_Hawke and Tethras Private Investigation Agency  
Hightown District  
6:21 AM_

Garrett had spent the next six hours being questioned by the City Guard, what the call was for, why he was there, what he saw, and about another million questions that sort of flew by Garrett's head. Fenris Leto was apprehended by the Guard under domestic disturbance and assault and battery.

The Guard said that they saw no trace of the prostitute from Leto's apartment save a fur coat by the bed with nothing but lip-gloss, a hundred and fifty dollars and a note with the apartment address in the pockets.

Hawke saw the Guard drag Fenris Leto into the police car, the old elf was actually sobbing about not being able to ever see _'Her' _again. Whoever _'Her'_ was, Garrett had no clue, but assumed the elf to be half crazed.

And now Garrett was wandering back to Hightown or the 'rich district' as the rest of the city of Kirkwall called the place. While most everyone in Hightown wasn't actually rich, the district was in better shape than Lowtown and the City Guard actually gave a crap for the residents of Hightown.

Garrett eventually reached his destination, The Hawke and Tethras Private Investigation Agency, a freelance company of two that Garrett founded six years ago. The agency has developed a reputation as an organization willing to actually help the people of Lowtown for free.

Garrett entered the two story building that served as his home and office building. He picked up the mail that was at his door and shifted through them. The investigator sighed when he found the building's monthly bills.

Placing the bill on a nearby table by the front door, Hawke walked the short distance to his office just off the side of the main hallway of his house. He opened the door to the office to find his partner Varric Tethras polishing his precious hunting rifle nicknamed 'Bianca' at his desk.

"Welcome home Hawke," Varric said as he tore his eyes from his hunting rifle and greeted his friend, "I was beginning to worry about your absence,"

"Sorry Varric, I got dragged into some domestic disturbance and had to be interviewed by the Guard," Garrett answered as he took off his trench coat and relaxed into the chair behind his own desk.

"What happened?" Varric asked as he remounted Bianca onto its mantle place on the wall behind his desk.

"Some old elf by the name of Fenris Leto has beating a whore and tore the apartment apart; the place was flooded when I got there," Garrett explained as he reached for another cigarette.

"Flooded?" Varric questioned in disbelief.

"Yea, at some point he swung a lamp through his wall and busted the water main," Hawke elaborated.

"Well, I'm going to go visit Bartrand at the rehab center, you okay if I leave you here alone?" Varric said as he stood up and got his coat on.

"Sure thing, I'm going to catch a few winks," Hawke said as he put his cigarette in the ashtray and leaned back in his chair. He soon nodded off.

V

"_Garrett! Help me!"_

"_Marian, Where are you!"_

"_GARRETT!"_

"_GARRETT!"_

"_GARRETT!"_

_V_

_8:02 AM_

Garrett awoke to the sound of knocking on his door; the Investigator found his head up against the desk as he pulled himself up and out of his chair.

"I'm coming!" Garrett shouted as he stretched the stiffness from his joints. The knocking stopped as he announced his presence.

He walked to the door and opened it to find a female elf with short black hair and green eyes on a youthful, almost unnaturally pale face. She wore a green jacket and an olive green scarf around her neck. She wore a brown skirt that reached just passed her knees, as well as some brown gloves covering her hands, and had a pair of brown boots that reached her knees. The elf couldn't be more than twenty two years old.

"Uh, hi, t-this is the Hawke and Tethras Private Investigation agency… isn't it?" The elven girl asked nervously with a small voice as she wringed her gloved fingers together.

"That's what it says on my door," Garrett pointed out as he gestured to the sign on the door's window.

"Oh, of course, how stupid of me… I-I just- I need your help badly," She admitted with some difficulty.

"No problem, why don't you come inside and tell me what's wrong?" Hawke offered as he turned to his side and gestured for her to enter, "Name's Garrett Hawke,"

"M-Merrill Sabrae," The elven girl responded as she cautiously walked past Garrett and into his house.

"Pardon the mess," Garrett said as he picked up the bill letters that were haphazardly scattered on the nearby table and began sorting them.

"Oh I don't mind, my own house is much worse," Merrill explained as she looked around.

"So, what's the problem?" Garrett asked.

"It's my sister, she hasn't returned home for three days and I'm so worried, will you help me find her?" Merrill begged.

"Of course, what's your sister's name?" Garrett said as he escorted the elf to his office and grabbed a pen and notepad. He then gesture for her to take a seat in front of his desk as he eased into his own chair

"Her name is Isabela, and she isn't my sister, not really, but she took me in when I was young and raised me, so we view each other as sisters," Merrill explained, "Oh, and she's also human,"

"Okay, so when and where was the last time and place you saw her?" Garrett questioned further as he wrote into the notepad.

"Three days ago around six o'clock in the evening she was heading to work from our house in the Alienage and promised to be back by first light the day after, but she hasn't showed up since," Merrill told him, Garrett wrote that down as well.

"And you waited three days to come to me about this?" Garrett questioned disbelievingly.

"Well she has been known to work extra hours, but she has never been gone this long before," Garrett noticed that as Merrill said this she rubbed her head with her hand as though it hurts.

"What exactly is your sister's occupation?" Garrett asked, genuinely curious.

"She's… w-well, she is a…" Merrill started, clearly nervous about this topic.

"It's okay, you can tell me," Garrett reassured.

Merrill brushed aside a strand of hair as she took a deep breath and said, "She's a prostitute,"

"Oh… okay" Garrett said calmly, a thought then occurred to him, "She doesn't happen to have long black hair and tanned skin, does she?"

"Yes, of course, how did you know?" Merrill asked.

"I think I might have seen her last night," Garrett admitted.

"D-Do you mean… you was with her last night?" Merrill asked accusingly.

"What?" Garrett asked, then it dawned on him what Merrill meant, "Oh no, no, no, I was answering a domestic disturbance call and I saw her at the scene,"

"Really, how was she doing?" Merrill exclaimed.

"Not to good I'm afraid, she was with a client who was beating her, she got away when I showed up though," Garrett explained the incident to Merrill, who was shaking her head; as she did this, Garrett noticed a shift in her scarf to reveal more of her neck, a thin, jagged sky blue line that was for the briefest of moments visible on her skin before the cloth shifted once more and hid it again.

"I hope she's alright," Merrill stated before she quickly asked, "Can you take me to the place you saw her last?"

"I don't know if it will help, The City Guard arrived and said they found no trace of her other than her coat in the client's apartment," Garrett admitted.

"Then maybe we can go to the Guard?" Merrill asked, trying to sound hopeful.

"You know what?" Garrett stated, "I'll see if I can pull a few strings and see if I can't get you Isabela's coat from the Guard, I may even be able to question the client she was with,"

"Oh thank you," Merrill expressed her gratitude, she then quickly reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a few dollars, "I don't have much I'm afraid,"

"Keep it," Garrett said as he waved the money off, "I have a feeling you might need it more than me,"

Merrill Sabrae blushed as she pocketed her money and said as she stood up from her seat, "It's true what they say about you Hawke,"

"And what is it that they say about me?" Garrett asked with a smile.

"That you're a goodhearted person," Merrill admitted, "Creator's know we don't have many of those anymore,"

"Creator's? So you're Dalish?" Hawke asked curiously.

Merrill fidgeted with her fingers, "Yea, The Maker and I aren't exactly on good terms," she then bid fair well and wished him luck on finding her sister, than she left.

Hawke reached for his phone and dialed the Kirkwall Rehabilitation center and asked the receptionist for Varric Tethras; when his partner answered Garrett quickly replied.

"We have a case,"

V

_En route to Kirkwall City Guard Headquarters  
Hightown  
12:48 PM_

"So we're just looking for some whore?" Varric asked incredulously as he and Garrett sat in the back of the taxi taking them to The Guard's Headquarters in Hightown.

"I don't know why Varric, but I just have a strange feeling about this," Hawke admitted as he looked out into city scenery passing by.

"Don't say that, you know I hate it when you say that!" Varric exclaimed.

"Why is that Varric?" Hawke asked.

"Because something always goes fubar when you say it," Varric firmly pointed out. A silence fell in the taxi for a few minutes before Varric asked, "So, this Ms. Sabrae, she attractive?"

"Why, are you thinking of taking her out to dinner?" Garrett snidely replied.

"No, but I'm thinking of setting one up for the two of you," Varric countered.

Garrett turned a cold eye on his lifelong friend, "You're thinking of setting me up with a whore's sister?"

"At this point I'd set you up with a Qunari," Varric said in a genuinely serious tone devoid of humor, "It's been six years, you need to start living again, she would want you to-

"Don't you _ever_ tell me what she would or would not have wanted; I know that more than anyone!" Garrett shouted unintentionally.

Varric raised his hands in surrender as he said calmly, "Okay, okay, but you seriously need to bury the past Garrett; it's not healthy for you,"

"We're here," the cab driver said as he parked in front of The City Guard Headquarters. The two partners exited the cab and paid the driver before heading in the large four story building. They entered the building and into the main lobby area where Hawke asked to see Guardsman Donnic Hendyr, the receptionist said to take a seat and wait.

After five minutes of waiting, Donnic Hendyr greeted the two and asked them to follow him. Donnic wasn't a very attractive man, with greasy brown hair, ugly sideburns, and a flat, broken nose; but he was fit and strong with good nature, if a little submissive.

"I received your call ahead of time," Donnic said as they travelled through the building to the evidence locker, "though I will say that I don't think you'll get much form Mr. Leto, the old grump is quite catatonic right now,"

"Have me talk to him later, I think I might be able to get a response out of him," Garrett insisted as they entered the evidence locker. Donnic soon lead them to a box sitting on a shelf and opened it. Inside was a series of items in plastic bags, and the trio started shorting through them.

"A hundred and fifty, she must be a pretty pricey whore," Varric commented as he skimmed through the money.

"Yea, a little too pricey for someone like Leto," Garrett mentioned as he examined the coat, it had a minx fur trim and was well made, "and what is a common prostitute doing with a minx fur coat?"

"Maybe she works at The Blooming Rose," Donnic offered, Garrett simply eyed him curiously, "What; a guy can't frequent a brothel?"

"It's just that if she was a worker at The Blooming Rose, how'd a Lowtown squatter like Leto be able to afford the cash?" Hawke questioned as he put the evidence back, "I think we need to talk to Leto,"

V

_Kirkwall City Guard interrogation Room #2  
Hightown  
1:10 PM_

Hawke and Varric watched through the two-way mirror into the interrogation room where Fenris Leto sat handcuffed to the table in front of him.

"He's all yours for five minutes," Donnic said as he entered the observation room. Hawke nodded his understanding as he headed for the door.

The moment he entered the small, featureless room, Fenris went ballistic, "You bastard! You have any idea what you've done?"

"Yea, I saved a poor woman from being murdered, but now she's missing," Hawke pointed out calmly.

"Why would a P.I. give to nug-shits about some dumb whore?" Fenris asked in a cold manner.

"I have a client that would see her returned home safely," Garrett said as he took a seat across the table, "Now let's start by telling me how you contacted Isabela,"

"Who?"

The whore,"

"Simple, I called a pimp, pimp set me up with her," Fenris muttered sardonically, "we had a tussle, than you showed up and scared her off,"

"'Tussle' isn't exactly the word I'd use," Garrett said before shifting to his next question, "What did you pay her?"

"Pfft, with what money? I'm broke" Fenris snidely remarked. Hawke raised an eyebrow.

"Then how did you pay her a hundred and fifty dollars?" Hawke questioned further.

"I didn't,"

"Then how did she end of with a grand and a half in her fur coat?"

"From her other clients' maybe?"

Hawke leaned back in his chair as he thought about his next question, "What was the name of the place you called for the pimp?"

"Madam Rat's brothel, in Darktown," Fenris muttered.

"Madam Rat's?" Garrett questioned disbelievingly.

"Ask the owner I guess,"

At that moment the door to the interrogation room opened to show a man in a suit with neatly combed red hair and hazel eyes on a gaunt face.

"I'm in the middle of an interrogation here!" Garrett pointed out.

"Not anymore, Bran Seneschal," The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card. Hawke took the card and read it.

"You're a lawyer?"

"Yes, and I do believe my client is finished talking to you," Bran then turned to Fenris as a guard walked in and removed Fenris' Handcuffes.

"I don't have a lawyer," Fenris simply muttered as he was escorted out of the room.

"The judge appointed me to you for the trial you were going to have had your bail not been posted," Bran said calmly and efficiently.

"Who posted Leto's bail?" Garrett questioned as the guard took Fenris away.

"A friend in high places, Mr. Hawke," Bran said emotionlessly before turning and leaving the room. Hawke walked out into the hallway to see Fenris and Bran leave, he then turned to Varric and Donnic.

"Something isn't right here," Hawke muttered as he and Varric left the station to there next destination:

Darktown…

V

_Madam Rat's Brothel  
Darktown  
3:38 PM_

Darktown was the name of the under-city directly below Hightown, a dark, filthy place where murder was as rampant as the rat's reproduction rate. Though it used to be the cities sewers, it had been turned into quite a underground city all its own.

Madam Rat's Brothel was probably the closest thing to a hospitable place in Darktown, though none of the actual business was conducted at the place, it was more a place for the whore's to collect their schedules, addresses, and payment. Madam Rat herself was exactly what you'd expect with a name like that; a short, old, ugly woman with a pointed nose and beady little eyes.

"Can you confirm an Isabela as one of your girls?" Hawke asked this old woman from outside the 'building' that was the brothel.

"Yea yes, pretty thing she is, quite a gem," The old hag said in a sickeningly sweet grandmotherly tone that made Varric want to gag.

"And when exactly was the last time you saw her?" The dwarf asked.

"Mm, I'd say four nights ago,"

"Are you sure it was four? My client said she went to work last three nights ago," Garrett asked for confirmation.

"No, I'm pretty sure it was four nights ago," Madam Rat assured the two, "Have you tried the docks?"

"The docks" the two investigators' questioned in unison.

"Yea, she frequents there on her off hours, whenever she doesn't have a client for the night," as Madam Rat said this, a moaning cry sounded from the room behind her, her expression turning grim and concerned as she said, "Parton me dearies,"

She then head for the room in the back, her voice turning strict as she ordered someone to get some water and Lyrium.

"Lyrium!" Varric exclaimed as he and Hawke ran to the doorframe to see into the room, what they saw horrified them.

In the room, lying on the table was a woman aching with pulsating blue lines all over her skin. She was screaming now and thrashing about as two other women held her down while Madam Rat was feverishly petting the girl's head.

"Relax Dearie, Milsha is getting you something for the pain," she said reassuringly. Another woman pushed passed Garrett and Varric while holding a blue vial. The woman handed the vial to Madam Rat who quickly got some of the blue liquid in a syringe before jabbing the needle into her forearm, the woman screamed in pain as she arched her back so far the investigator's where afraid she'd break her back. Then she collapsed unconscious.

Madam rat checked the Girl's pulse for a few seconds, and then she released an audible sigh that seemed to reassure everyone in the room, "she'll be fine,"

"What happened to her Madam?" One of the girls asked.

"She went through Lyrium withdrawal," Varric spoke up, "she must have gone too long without the substance and that caused the attack,"

The dwarf then looked the girl in the eye as he said, "Lyrium was founded by the dwarves during the Qunari wars, and was discovered to have unique healing properties for all kinds of injuries and illnesses, but the substance is horrifyingly addictive, I'm sorry I-

Varric then briskly walked out of the room. Garrett quickly thanked Madam Rat for her help and followed his friend.

Hawke found his friend sitting by the front door outside the brothel, lighting a cigarette, he took a long pull and exhaled the smoke, and he repeated this process a few more times before he spoke.

"Why did I do what I did Garrett," Varric said without looking his partner in the eye.

"To save your brother's life," Garrett explained.

"Yea, I shoved that first syringe into my brother to save him from that heart attack, but now he can't go a week without that blue shit!" The dwarf then spat at the ground before taking another pull of his cigarette. He then shook his head, "He still blames me for it, he's gone past saying it to my face, but I still see it in his eyes, he hates me for putting him in that situation,"

"I don't know what else to say Varric; your heart was in the right place," Hawke reassured as he pulled out his own cigarette and lit it as well.

"That man's been starring at us," Varric whispered as he gently nudged his head to his right, Hawke looked out the corner of his eye to see a hooded man looking at them.

"Hey!" Garrett called to the man, who quickly bolted into a run, Garrett quickly followed suit.

Darktown was like a maze, but Hawke managed to keep the spy in his sights, they soon ran through a market district of Darktown and the man grabbed and threw a cart of apples behind him, Garrett nearly stumbled on the fruit but continued to give chase.

Soon the man turned down an alley and into an incline filled with sewage water, Hawke followed him down the slide and into some of the still working sewers of Darktown. He chased the man through the sewers until he turned a corner, when Hawke followed him he was smacked in the head and collapsed.

His vision blurry, he reached out and managed to grab the man by the pocket of his hoodie, the man pulled and tore his pocket to escape; he then kicked Hawke in the jaw and ran. By the time Hawke came to his senses again the man was gone.

V

_Hightown  
3:59 PM_

"You smell like Nug shit," Varric commented as he and Hawke sat in the taxi heading back to their home.

"Don't remind me," Hawke muttered as he tried to scrub himself clean, "At least I got this," he then help up a piece of paper that he had gotten form the man's tore pocket. The paper was wet but the writing was still readable.

"Warehouse 21, shipment five-five-eight?" Varric questioned.

"Madam Rat said that Isabela frequents the Harbor, so perhaps we should go there after I clean up," Hawke offered.

"Weird day, huh," Varric commented as he handed back the paper.

"Weird day indeed," Hawke echoed.

V

_Hawke and Tethras Private Investigation Agency  
Hightown  
4:22 PM_

Garrett showered himself off for nearly twenty minutes as he thought about today's events. He wondered what Isabela had been doing for three days that no one knew about, where did she get the fancy fur coat and the hundred and fifty dollars. What was Fenris Leto's connection to it all, and who was that hooded man.

He closed his eyes as he tried to relax with the hot water cascading over him. He released a sigh when he suddenly felt a presence on the other side of the shower curtains; somehow he didn't feel alarmed or suspicious of the presence, as it gave him a warm feeling.

Then a woman's voice that he hadn't heard for six years outside of his dreams and nightmares spoke, "Garrett,"

Garrett suddenly came to his senses and pulled the shower curtains aside only to find no one there.

"Garrett!" Hawke heard Varric call him from downstairs, it sounded urgent so he stopped the water and grabbed a towel to give him some modesty as he headed downstairs to his and Varric's office. His partner pointed to the TV as he turned up the volume.

"A body has been discovered at the docking district in Warehouse 21, inside a crate labelled five-five-eight. The victim is said to be a woman in her mid-thirties of Rivaini descent-

At that moment a photo of the victim appeared on the screen, and Hawke felt his heart skip a beat, as it was the woman he saw at Leto's apartment.

It was Isabela.

**Next time on The Hawke Eyed Detective**

"My sister is dead!" Merrill cried out as she collapsed against the wall and cried her heart out.

V

"I know you're secret Ms. Sabrae,"

V

"What do you mean you found no record of a lawyer named Bran Seneschal?" Garrett questioned.

V

"You have no idea what you're up against, do you Mr. Hawke," Sten taunted Hawke before throwing another punch at the detective.


	3. Episode 2: Secrets and Hidden Agendas

**Sorry for the long wait. I was suffering from writer's block. But I'm back now so let's continue on with Episode Two.**

**Episode II**

Secrets and Hidden Agendas

_Kirkwall City Guard HQ Morgue  
Hightown  
6:12 PM_

"Talk to me Anders," Detective Aveline Vallen said to the blonde medical examiner as she looked up and down the body on the examination table.

"She died of a crushed windpipe, I'd say that the killer attacked her from the front and strangled her," Anders said while indicating the throat, he then pointed to the various bruises and cuts on her face and arms, "most of the wounds on her arms are defensive by nature, but not all of them are from her killer,"

"What do you mean?"

"Some of these on her arms were inflicted much earlier, the cuts on her face have already started to heal over slightly; I'd say that she was assaulted within the last twenty four hours previous to her death," Anders elaborated.

"And what time was that?" Vallen questioned.

"I'd say she died sometime around one to one thirty PM," Anders said, "oh, and she had sex within the last twenty four hours before she died, quite possibly during the same time she was assaulted earlier,"

"So she was raped?"

"Not with the injuries I've found, I'd say the assailant attacked her afterwards," Anders explained.

"Sounds like a rough last twenty four," Aveline said as she looked solemnly at the body.

At that moment the nearby phone rang, Anders walked to the wall and answered it, "Doctor Anders speaking… yes she's right here,"

Anders then handed the phone over to Aveline, who quickly answered, "what is it?"

"Ma'am, there's a Mr. Hawke and a Ms. Sabrae here, they claim to know the victim that was found at the warehouse this afternoon, and would like to identify the body" Aveline cursed herself mentally, of course Hawke was somehow involved in this.

"Okay, escort them to the morgue," Aveline said as she hung up, a few minutes later a young elf burst through the doors of the morgue screaming in hysteria.

Anders removed the cloth to reveal the victim's face.

"My sister is dead!" Merrill cried out as she collapsed against the wall and cried here heart out. Aveline walked over to the sobbing woman and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. It was at that moment that Hawke entered the room.

"Hawke," Aveline addressed coldly.

"Vallen," Hawke countered in just as cold a tone; he then turned his gaze to the victim's body and lowered his head in sadness.

Aveline turned her attention back to the hysterical woman, "I promise you we'll find out who did this; but I'll need you to tell me everything you can,"

The woman nodded her head weakly before she was escorted out of the room by another guard to be questioned, Aveline then turned to Hawke, "and how are you involved in this Garrett?"

"I was hired by Ms. Sabrae to help find her adoptive sister, and then you guys found her first," Hawke stated.

"Well do you have any idea who might have wanted to kill her," Aveline questioned.

"Not definitively, but I do have a theory," Hawke explained, "she hooked up with an elf last night, the elf assaulted her while interrogating her about someone,"

"And who is this elf?"

"You had him in custody already before his bail was posted, one Fenris Leto,"

V

_The Alienage  
Lowtown  
6:42 PM_

After Merrill had given her statement to the police, she just wanted to go home. Hawke had insisted on escorting her home, but she wanted to be by herself for a while. So the two parted ways outside the Guard HQ with Hawke promising to find whoever killed her sister.

She managed to find a taxi that was willing to take her back to Lowtown, once she reached her apartment she reached for her keys to unlock her door, only to find the door unlocked. She figured she must have forgotten to lock them when she left, so it came as no surprise to her.

She entered her rundown home and locked her door before placing her keys on a nearby table and walked into her living room. She flipped the light switch on the wall to illuminate the room to find an intruder sitting on her couch.

"Who are you?!" Merrill shouted in shock as she reached for her pepper spray that Isabela had given her a few weeks ago. She was about to spray the intruder when a pair of large hands came from behind and grabbed her shoulder and wrist, taking the pepper spray from her hands.

"Give that back!" she screamed as she turned around planning to smack whoever attacked her from behind; only to freeze in fear when she came face to chest with a one-horned Qunari that stared back at her with emotionless violet eyes.

"Do not worry, Maraas won't harm you without my express command," The intruder on the couch assured.

"Who are you?" Merrill asked again as she turned to face the man. He was a human with dark brown hair and the makings of a beard on his chin and cheeks. His face was soft and oval with dull green eyes staring disinterestedly at her.

"My name is of no concern to you," The man spoke darkly in a thick accent, "all you need to know is that I'm an associate of your sister's,"

"Aren't you a bit too ugly to be a prostitute?" Merrill insulted the man, getting a grumble from the Qunari; the man though, simply chuckled mirthlessly.

"I am no prostitute, I'm simply a man with interests," he then reached into his pocket and pulled out an object, "like I have with this,"

Merrill's eyes widened when she recognized the object in the man's hand, a syringe with blue liquid inside it.

"Recognize it? It is yours no?" the man questioned as he held it in the light.

"I've never seen that before in my life," Merrill lied. The man chuckled again.

"I know your secret Ms. Sabrae," The man taunted as he shook the syringe, "You're addicted to Lyrium, I got this from your personal stash, and have destroyed the rest,"

"Why would you do that?!" Merrill practically cried out as she reached for the syringe only for the Qunari to grab her by the shoulders and hold her in place.

"Because I needed to make sure I had complete leverage over you before I offered you my proposition,"

"And what would that be?"

"To work for me and finish your sister's work, not prostitution, but something infinitely more important,"

"I won't work you for!" Merrill stated defiantly.

"Tell me? How did your sister ever manage to make sure you always had your lyrium AND afford the monthly rent, even in a backwater place such as this?" the man questioned.

"…"

"Because I supplied her with the lyrium in return for her cooperation, so if you want to be able to survive, I'd suggest you do the same," the man explained. He then walked over to Merrill and politely handed her the syringe, "As a sign of good faith,"

"I will contact you when you're needed," The Qunari released his grip on Merrill as the two intruders departed with a single warning, "and don't involve the Guard or Mr. Hawke in this,"

Once they finally left, Merrill ran to her bedroom and found her bed flipped over and the floor safe wide open, the lyrium spilled all over the ground by the safe.

V

_The Hanged Man  
Lowtown  
8:43 PM_

Hawke swirled the drink in his hand as he looked around the main room of the Hanged man. He had been sitting in the same seat at the bar for an hour as he carefully watched his target drinking his own ale. A grizzled, bald man by the name of Martin; the old drunk had been occupying his seat even longer then Hawke has been watching him. Eventually Martin stood up, paid the bartender for the drinks, and headed for the door; that was when Hawke made his move.

Making sure not to get noticed by the man, Hawke waited a few seconds after Martin had left the Hanged Man before following him. He stayed back and gave Martin his space as he tailed him until the man turned down an alley. Hawke quickly but silently made his way around the corner to find a gun pointed at his face.

"You want me dead? You'll have to fight for it!" Martin shouted, but Hawke simply grabbed Martin's wrist and twisted the gun from his hand and broke his wrist. The man fell to the ground clutching his wrist in pain. Hawke picked up the gun and examined it.

"You didn't cock it you imbecile, let alone load it," Hawke said as he pocketed the gun.

Martin scooted himself away from Hawke as he sniffled pathetically, "J-just kill me already,"

"I'm not here to kill you, I'm here to ask you questions," Hawke explained as he offered Martin his hand, which the coward hesitantly took with his good hand.

"Look, I'll pay your boss; I just need time to collect the money," Martin sniveled miserably.

"Who exactly do you think I am?" Hawke questioned.

"You mean you aren't one of Castillon's men?" Martin asked with visible signs of relief.

"Who is Castillon?" Martin's eyes widened at Hawke's question, and he turned to make a break for it only for the P.I. to grab and shove him to the wall.

"I-I can't tell you, or he'll have my head for sure!" Martin cried out as he squirmed around in Hawke's grasp.

"Look, I don't care who this Castillon is, all I want to know is who murdered the woman at the docks," Hawke questioned the coward, "Word has it you were the first to find the body,"

"T-That's true…" Martin answered.

"And did you see anyone out of the ordinary, someone who wasn't supposed to be there?" Garrett Hawke questioned further.

"I can't quite remember..." Martin said suspiciously.

"Maybe you'll remember if you have two broken wrists," Hawke threatened.

"Okay, okay!" Martin quickly replied, "There was an elf coming out of the warehouse I work at, I knew he didn't belong there since Cast- I mean my boss doesn't hire elves, so I thought him a burglar and searched the warehouse and found the body poorly stuffed in a crate.

"Did you get a good look at this elf; what he or she looked like, height, hair color, anything?"

"I don't know I swear, it was a male elf that's all I know, he wore a hat, the only reason I knew he was an elf was because of the ears,"

"What kind of hat?"

"I don't know, it was just a hat!"

Hawke released a sigh as he released Martin and handed him his empty gun back, "Get out of here; I suggest getting that wrist looked at too,"

Martin mumbled to himself as he walked away. Hawke then headed to the nearest payphone and dialed detective Vallen's number.

"Who is it?" Came the stern reply on the other end of the call.

"Vallen, it's Hawke, I found Martin" Garrett replied.

"Good, what did he say?" Aveline questioned crisply.

"He only validated my suspicion that it was Leto who murdered the woman; he said it was a male elf,"

"That doesn't exactly confirm Leto as the killer," Vallen pointed out.

"But it doesn't rule him out either," Garrett countered.

"True…" Aveline said worryingly.

"Vallen? I know you long enough to know that when you talk like that that something is bothering you," Hawke pointed out.

"It's just that I looked up this lawyer that bailed out Fenris Leto, and I found no record of a lawyer named Bran Seneschal," Vallen admitted.

"What do you mean you found no record of a lawyer named Bran Seneschal?" Hawke questioned.

"Exactly what it sounds like Hawke!" Vallen replied, and edginess clear in her voice, "That means that someone just stole our suspect.

Hawke pinched the bridge of his nose as he thought about his next course of action.

He came up with nothing…

V

_Hawke and Tethras Private Investigation Agency  
Hightown District  
7:39 AM_

Hawke had returned home later that night and went to sleep. He laid in bed trying to figure out what was going on. Who really was this 'Bran Seneschal' and why did he go out of his way to release Leto from custody? '_Friends from high places Mr. Hawke_', the fake lawyer had said. Who was Leto to anyone other than a lowly resident of Lowtown? What was Isabela's role in it and where had she been for the three days before her death? She must have angered someone powerful to have risk releasing Leto so he could kill her.

Garrett found no answers as he slept, nor as he awoke the next morning.

He got dressed and walked the stairs down to the main floor. He headed for the front door and opened it to grab the paper. It was when he closed the door behind him and looked through the paper did he find it.

A small envelope within the pages addressed to Mr. G Hawke, no return address was labeled. The P.I. opened it the letter and began reading the small message.

_Head to the Chantry Church in Hightown at 8:20 AM, sit in the fourth pew from the front on the right side. We need to talk about the woman killed at the docks._

_Come alone._

Hawke found no signature as he finished reading the message. Hawke figured he had best do as the mysterious message says. So he went to his office and got his gun (He didn't think he would need it, but he felt safer if he did) and got his coat before heading out to meet the deadline. But not before leaving a message to Varric telling him where he went.

He hailed a taxi and told the cap driver to take him to the Chantry Church in Hightown. By the time he reached the church it was 8:01 AM, giving him nineteen minutes before the deadline. As he walked up the steps to the church a man ran down the stairs and crashed into Hawke. If it weren't for Hawke's quick reflexes and grabbing onto the handrail the two would have tumbled down the steps.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry sir I was in a hurry and didn't see where I was going," The man apologized hastily as he started patting down Garrett's coat that had gotten messed up in the collision.

Hawke grabbed the man's wrists and gently pushed him off as he said, "Just watch were you're going next time, okay?"

"Of course sir," With that the man bid a farewell before leaving in a hurry. Hawke shrugged as he put the strange encounter out of his mind and headed on to meet his deadline.

Garrett entered the church and took his seat as he was instructed by the letter and waited until the deadline was reached. During that time he spent looking around the place and eyeing the people there. There was a Chantry mother giving hymns by the statue of Andraste. Three men were sitting on the front row pew on the left side lost in prayer. And he noticed a few people in the back praying as well.

He took to staring at the statue of Andraste; he hadn't been here since _her_ funeral.

He was so lost in thought that he didn't hear the footsteps that went down the aisle, and take a seat in the pew right behind him.

"If you so much as turn your head a single degree to look at me, my sniper will blow your head off," A man with an accent whispered into Hawke's ear.

"You have a sniper aimed at a church?" Hawke whispered back in shock and disgust as he subconsciously reached for his gun, only to find his holster empty.

"My associate relieved you of your weapon," The man said.

"You're going through a lot of lengths to protect yourself," Hawke pointed out.

"I like my wellbeing and my privacy," the man said, "Now tell me what you know about Isabela's murder.

"Only that it was most likely committed by an elf named Fenris Leto, now you tell me what's going on here," Hawke pointed out.

"You need not worry yourself with the case anymore Mr. Hawke, it will be taken care of,"

"What do you mean taken care of? You mean Leto?" Hawke asked.

"No one kills my… workers and get away with it,"

"Your workers," Hawke questioned, "She worked for you?"

"She was much more than a whore Mr. Hawke," The man replied, "But as I said, you need not worry about it anymore,"

"I'll find you," Hawke promised.

"You're welcome to try," the mysterious man said, "I will be leaving now, the sniper will be off of you when the man with the red hair ahead of us will stop praying, good day,"

Hawke remained in his seat as he heard the man stand up and walk away. A whole minute passed before the red man stood up and walked away as well.

It was then that Hawke made his move.

He started tailing the red haired man as he walked down the Aisle; fully intent on interrogating him. He walked out the doors with Hawke a few yards behind him. But once the investigator opened the doors he found the red haired man running down an alleyway aqt the side of the church. So Hawke immediately followed and reached the corner just in time to see the red haired man executed by a man with a silenced pistol.

The man was wearing the same hoodie that Hawke saw in Darktown.

"Hey!" Hawke yelled as he charged the man and tackled him to the ground before he could get shot by the pistol. Garrett then delivered a shift and hard punch to the hooded man and knocked him out.

As Hawke was about to remove the hood to see who it was, he felt an explosion of pain on the back of his head before everything went black.

V

_At an unknown time and place_

Garrett awoke to the shocking sensation of cold water being dumped over his head. He quickly looked around to find himself in some rundown apartment, he figure it must have been Lowtown. He also noticed he was tied to a chair, and that his head hurts something awful.

"Names Sten," said a deep voice from behind Hawke, "I find it only polite to have the tortured to know the torturer's name,"

As Sten said this he walked around Hawke to reveal himself as a hornless Qunari with deep tan skin and white braided hair and violet eyes.

An oxman… just my luck," Hawke said sardonically right before he received a swift punch to the face.

"You have no idea what you're up against, do you Mr. Hawke," Sten taunted Hawke before throwing another punch at the detective. This time it was in the gut, Causing Garrett to gasp for the air that escaped his lungs.

"Of course I don't know what I'm up against, so just let me go," This only got another punch from Sten.

"You were talking with the enemy and attacked our assassin, so I can't let you go until you tell me everything you two talked about," Sten said callously, "And even then I'm just going to put a bullet through your head,"

**Next time on the Hawke eyed detective**

"What will you have me do," Merrill asked.

"For starters," the man across the table said to her, "Do everything I tell you to, no questioned asked,"

V

"I'm telling you I don't know who he is!" Hawke shouted as he spit out even more blood at Sten's feet.

V

"Another body has been found at the docks," The reported said on the news as Varric turned up the volume.

V

Merrill hesitated as she reached out to lock the door, but the blood covered elf on the other side opened it himself, standing there in the hallway with a relaxed look of joy on his face as he said "I've finally found you,"


End file.
